Each week she sends WoW her COUP DE COEUR OF THE WEEK -

Read on!

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COUP DE COEUR
DOMAINE CLAVEL, LE MAS, GRES DE MONTPELLIER – 5.60€
Grès de Montpellier is one of the newer sub-regions or terroirs of the Coteaux du Languedoc, covering an area around Montpellier, incorporating various longer-standing areas, such as Méjanelle and St. Drézery and including vineyards almost in the suburbs and close to the airport. One of the leading estates of the area is Domaine Clavel, which was set up by Pierre Clavel, whose father, Jean, was one of the pioneers of the Coteaux du Languedoc when it was a new appellation in the 1980s.
Pierre is based outside the village of Assas, close to the vineyards of Pic St. Loup and makes a delicious range of wines, a white and several reds, of which one of my favourite is his simplest wine, Le Mas. It is a blend of Syrah, Grenache Noir, Carignan and Cinsaut. He is aiming for ripe juicy fruit, and that is just what you get, lovely ripe spices with a fresh finish. It’s sheer pleasure in the glass, friendly and undemanding.
Domaine Clavel, Assas 34820
Tel: 04 99 62 06 13
info@vins-clavel.fr
www.vins-clavel.fr

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CHAEAU de LASCAUX 2008 Coteaux du Languedoc blanc. 7.00€

Château de Lascaux is one of the leading estates of the Pic St. Loup, but as Pic St. Loup can only be red or pink, the white wine is a more humble Coteaux du Languedoc, and a delicious blend of Roussanne and Marsanne, with a touch of Viognier. This is a shining example of how much white wine has improved in the Languedoc. The flavours are fresh, with good acidity, a lovely mouth feel and texture. Everything is nicely balanced, and leaves you wanting a second glass, or indeed bottle!

The Pic St. Loup is a stunning region to visit, with the dramatic pointed Pic opposite the Montagne de l’Hortus, making for a distinctive skyline. Jean-Benoit Cavalier’s cellars are in the little village of Vacquières.

Château de Lascaux, Place de l’Eglise, 34270 Vacquières
Tel : 04 67 59 00 08
www.chateau-lascaux.com

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Rosemary George MW is the author of The definitive book on the wines of the South of France or our region .... available on Amazon

You can keep uptodate with Rosemary on her blog spot @
www.tastelanguedoc.blogspot.com

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COUP DE COEUR – 2007 Château la Dournie, St. Chinian - 6.80€
St. Chinian is one of my favourite appellations of the Languedoc. The wines are wonderfully appealing and spicy, and I always enjoy the Sunday market. Château la Dournie is a substantial property on the edge of the town, with a park of mature trees; it has belonged the Etienne family since the mid-19th century. The present incumbent, Véronique Etienne, produces a delicious range of St. Chinian and vins de pays. My favourite is her simple entry level St. Chinian, a blend mainly of Syrah with some Grenache and Carignan, aged in vat. The fruit is opulently spicy, with supple tannins on the palate, to balance the warmth and richness. This is sunshine in a glass – what more do you want on a grey January day?
Château la Dournie, 34360 St. Chinian
Tel 04 67 38 19 43
Château.ladournie@wanadoo.fr
www.chateauladournie.com

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COUP DE CŒUR
DOMAINE DE PERDIGUIER 2007 CUVEE EN AUGER ROUGE, VIN DE PAYS DES COTEAUX D’ENSERUNES – 9.00€

The Château de Perdiguier is a rather imposing building outside Maraussan. The cellars too are imposing, lined with the huge foudres that were traditional to the Midi. These days they are more for show, and very impressive they are too.

This is a blend of 85 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 per cent Merlot, aged in barriques for 12 months. The result is delicious, with dry cassis on the nose and palate, a streak of tannin and some elegant fruit. This is the nearest that the Midi comes to Bordeaux in flavour. And the wine will develop with bottle age.

Tel: 04 67 90 37 44
www.domaineperdiguier.com

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KIWIS SEE RED OVER FRENCH WINE LABEL
(Richard Pohle/The Times)
The label does specify that the wine is made in France, but in much smaller type than the Kiwi Cuvee logo

Try to name your sparkling wine "Champagne" or your locally made round of cheese Brie de Meaux and before you say "Bollinger" the French legal system will have torn you to pieces.

Now, in an Antipodean twist on the French system of Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) that protects food and drink by geographic indicators, an Australian tribunal has blocked a French winemaker's attempt to register a name that gave the impression its wine was from New Zealand.

The Antipodeans saw red when the winemaker Lacheteau, which is based in the Loire Valley, labelled its sauvignon blanc "Kiwi Cuvee", an apparent attempt at the sort of wit that sees Australia and New Zealand give their wines such names as Mad Fish and Kite Runner to widen their customer base.

The wine is sold under the Kiwi Cuvee label in Europe and in supermarkets in the UK. But when the French winemaker attempted to register the name in Australia, the New Zealand Winegrowers successfully opposed it, arguing that the description was likely to lead customers to believe the wine came from New Zealand.

In fact about the only thing Kiwi about the wine is the label, which is made in New Zealand, by the New Zealand winemaker Rhyan Wardmann. The label does specify that the wine is made in France, but in much smaller type than the Kiwi Cuvee logo on the bottle.

Philip Gregan, president of the New Zealand Winegrowers, told The Times: "The term 'Kiwi' has a very strong association with New Zealand and our view is that it should be reserved for New Zealand wines."

He added that "the thought had occurred to us" that if the situation was reversed, the French would have had no hesitation in stopping a Kiwi winemaker from implying its wine was made in France.

France has always been aggressive about protecting its gastronomic and wine heritage. Any sparkling wine made by the champagne method must be labelled Methode Champenoise rather than champagne, and more than 300 other wines are also protected under the AOC scheme, including chablis and bordeaux. In addition, 161 French foods have been awarded European Union "signature foods" recognition, which gives them officially protected status. The UK list of EU-protected foods includes Cornish clotted cream, Whitstable oysters and Stilton cheese.

But what is good for the force-fed goose does not seem to be good for an Antipodean gander, at least not in French eyes. Lacheteau aruged that the word "Kiwi" was not a colloquialism for the origin for the wine, but the New Zealand Winegrowers accused them of deliberately emulating a New Zealand product.

In its statement to the tribunal, the organisation said: "Sauvignon blanc is the archetypal New Zealand wine variety and screw-cap bottles such as (Lacheteau) uses, while being the preferred choice for New Zealand wines, are anathema to traditional French winemakers."

In his ruling, the trademarks hearing officer Terry Williams said that the name would cause confusion in Australia, especially to the more discerning customer who would be more likely to ask for a wine by reference to a place of origin but could misunderstand the wine's name "on wine lists in restaurants and bars".

"Customers in such places might ask for wine by variety, for example a Clare riesling or, less formally, a Kiwi sav blanc," Mr Williams said.

Mr Gregan said it was a "delicious irony" that the greatest winemakers in the world were attempting to capitalise on the popularity of New Zealand sauvignon blancs by trying to disguise their wine as something other than French.

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," he told The Times. "We have no doubt that they were capitalising on New Zealand's reputation as a producer of great sauvignon blanc.

"It's an incredible irony that one of their winemakers is trying to pass itself off as a New Zealand wine. It's quite a delicious one, really."

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DOMAINE DU MAS ROUGE at Mireval
2006 Muscat de Mireval – 10€
This comes from one of the few independent wine growers of Muscat de Mireval, a little known appellation for sweet Muscat, which tends to lie in the shadow of Frontignan. This is fresh, ripe and grapey, really grapey so that it is redolent of the grape variety itself, unlike most other wines. There is plenty of sweet honey, balanced with an elegant finish. You could drink it on its own or it makes a refreshing dessert wine with a fruit pudding.
Domaine du Mas Rouge
30 Chemin de la poule d’eau,
34110 Vic la Gardiole
Tel : 04 67 51 66 85
www.domainedumasrouge.com

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2007 Château de Flaugergues, Cuvée les Comtes, Coteaux du Languedoc, la Méjanelle.

The Château de Flaugergues is an old estate, and now in the suburbs of Montpellier, with Pierre de Colbert the tenth generation there. An ancestor was Louis XIV’s minister. The late 17th century château is classed as a monument historique and open to the public, as is the tasting caveau.
2007 Cuvée des Comtes is predominantly Grenache Noir, with 15 per cent each of Mourvèdre and Syrah, aged in vat. The nose is a little dumb, but the palate has some lovely ripe, rounded spicy fruit, with a sufficient hint of tannin. It is eminently drinkable, or gouleyant as our French neighbours would say – and just the thing for a cold winter’s day.
Château de Flaugergues, 1744 avenue Albert Einstein. 34000 Montpellier
Tel : 04 99 52 66 37
www.flaugergues.com

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2007 L’Infidèle, Terrasses du Larzac from MAS CAL DEMOURA 13€.

Mas Cal Demoura is one of a group of estates outside the village of Jonquières, which are creating a reputation as part of the Terrasses de Larzac. Vincent and Isabelle Goumard bought the already established property and made their first wine in 2004. It was a brilliant start and with his 2007 vintage, Vincent has done even better.

This is a blend of all five of the key red varieties of the Languedoc, with Syrah, Grenache, Noir, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsaut, discreetly aged in barrel. There is a youthful freshness about the wine, typical of the Terrasses du Larzac, with some lovely spicy mineral notes on the palate, combined with rounded ripe fruit and some leathery hints. Like all good bottles, it leaves you wanting more.

Route de St. André,
Jonquières 34 725
04 67 44 70 82

www.caldemoura.com

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2007 LE JOLY ROUGE, COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC – 5€
Domaine Virgile Joly, St Saturnin
This is Virgile’s entry level wine; he makes other more serious reds and also whites, but sheer drinking pleasure, this is hard to beat, especially when served slightly chilled. It is a blend of Grenache Noir, Cinsaut and Syrah, with some fresh spiciness and leathery notes and some soft tannins on the palate. He will shortly be moving on to the 2008 vintage.
Virgile has developed his own estate gradually since his first vintage in 2000. He has a small cellar in the main square in St. Saturnin, between the mairie and the church, but as that has become too small, he had acquired larger premises outside the village of Arboras. He is also the subject of Patrick Moon’s entertaining book, Virgile’s Vineyard, which relates his very first vintage, back in 2000.
Tel 04 67 44 52 21 –it’s best to ring first.

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2006 COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC, TERRA SOLIS, DOMAINE DES GRECAUX – 11.00€
New estates around Montpeyroux have proliferated in the last ten years or so. Alain Caujolle made his first wine in 1998, and now produces three qualities of red wine. Terra Solis is his simplest cuvée, a blend of 85 per cent Grenache Noir, with some Carignan, and aged in vat rather than barrel. He has given up using oak barrels, as he finds that they do not add anything to his wine. This has some fresh fruit, with intriguing leathery notes and some dry spiciness. There is a touch of acidity, as well as some tannins and a lovely elegant finish.
Domaine des Grécaux,
4 avenue du Monument
St. Jean-de-Fos 34150
Tel : 04 67 57 38 83 – ring first.

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LOCAL WINE WIN AWARDS

English doctor wins French wine medal: pas mal pour un anglais
For three days a week he is a GP tending the sick in his adopted village in the South of France.

But Graeme Angus, an Englishman from Seaham, County Durham, devotes the rest of his working week to fulfilling a dream he first had over 20 years ago as a pharmacy student in Leicester - producing high-quality wines from his own vineyard.
Now his efforts have been recognised in the world's biggest competition for wine-producers.

The 43-year-old has won a gold medal for one of his reds in the 2009 International Wine Challenge, which claims to be the world's most rigorously judged wine competition, with up to six rounds of blind tasting.
The competition, which was launched in Britain 26 years ago but is judged by more than 370 connoisseurs from all over the world, saw Mr Angus's Grenache Shiraz triumph over more than 1,000 other wines in the Languedoc-Roussillon category
His success is all the more remarkable since he and his wife Alice sold their first wine only three years ago and he combines his wine-growing with part-time work as a doctor in the village of Nébian, 20 minutes drive from their home, a farmhouse in the village of Octon. In what is arguably an even greater accolade, some of his French patients have congratulated "l'Anglais" on his award and are enquiring enthusiastically about his next vintage.
"Most people are very complimentary," said Mr Angus, originally from Seaham in County Durham. "The French are proud of their wine culture, and some are a bit surprised that an Englishman can produce good wines, but on the whole people are positive."
Mr Angus's interest in wine began when he was a pharmacy student at Leicester University and took a job in a wine cellar. It developed into a passion after he gave up working as a pharmacist and trained to be a doctor.
After seven years working as a haematologist in London hospitals, he decided to turn his love of wine into a career. In 1999, aged 33, he gave up medicine and went to Australia with Alice - an English agricultural economist who was brought up in France and whom he had met just two months earlier - to study wine-making.
He took his new skills to France, where his English in-laws had lived since 1976, and worked at a wine-maker's before deciding to set up his own business in 2003.
The start-up costs were huge, so to pay the bills he resumed his medical career. Today he makes two vin de pays d'oc organic wines, the Grenache Shiraz and a "pure " Syrah.
He produces 6-8,000 bottles a year which he sells to shops, restaurants and a growing number of people who have heard about the wines and drop past to buy at the door.
Some French people do find it a bit hard to accept that an Englishman has beaten French producers to an award," added Mrs Angus, who was born in London and moved to France with her parents when she was seven. "A lot of them thought he was an eccentric Englishman who wanted to make wine as a hobby and were convinced it would taste pretty disgusting. But they are fine about it once they actually taste it."
The couple, who have two young children, produced their first grapes in 2004 and their wine went on sale in 2006. The business has grown rapidly at a time when many other vineyards are suffering.
Mr Angus says he is proud to be an Englishman producing good wines in France. He describes his organic wine as "chunky, fruity, concentrated and aromatic".
The competition judges were more effusive, describing the 9 Euros-a-bottle wine as "very exciting...with lots of raspberry, white pepper and spice flavours and elegant structure with floral but fine tannins".
His Grenache Shiraz 2007 vintage won one of 39 gold medals awarded in the Languedoc Roussillon red wine category.
This year more than 9,500 wines entered the competition from a record 41 countries and 304 won gold medals, a 13 per cent rise on last year.
A spokesman for the Challenge said: "It's a great achievement to win a gold medal because the competition is tough and the judges are very strict. To do it as an Englishman in France is highly impressive."
Mr Angus is determined to build on his success. He is planning to switch his wines from vins de pays d'oc to the higher quality category of appellation d'origine controle(acute)e and aims to have his wines on sale in the UK next year.
Even the French media have expressed slightly reluctant admiration for his wine-making skills. "Pas mal pour un anglais,"said maville.com, a news website for the Montpellier region - "Not bad for an Englishman."


WINE NEWS Local winemakers win one of only 3 GOLD Awards in London

Domaine la Colombette wins a gold medal to the Wine Innovation Award. Only 3 gold medal for the world for their low alcohol (9%) wine PLUME.

For full information go to www.wineinnovation.co.uk .

Visit and try it for yourself

Domaine la Colombette Ancienne route de Bédarieux
(opposite second - Northern turn - to Boujan)
Off Béziers - Bédarieux road
T: +33 (0)4 67 31 05 53
www.lacolombette.fr

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2008 Cuvée Prestige, Picpoul de Pinet, La Cave de l’Ormarine at Pinet 5.10€
Another Picpoul de Pinet has caught my attention after a cellar visit to the cooperative at Pinet. It is responsible for nearly half the production of this tiny enclave of white wine in the sea of red of the Coteaux du Languedoc, and it serves its appellation very well. I was amazed how much variety of flavour you can extract from what can be a fairly neutral grape variety. Carte Noire is the wine you come across most often, but much better, and not much more expensive, is their Cuvée Prestige. They explained the vinification technique; they use the lees of the fermentation, which are filtered and then fermented slowly, and this gives a wine with a much richer flavour and more depth, but always with that salty, sappy taste of Picpoul, that goes so well with an oyster.
They have a welcoming tasting room and shop, where you can taste the entire range before buying a bottle.


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2007 VIEUX CARIGNAN, VIN DE PAYS DE CAUX, DOMAINE DE NIZAS – 11.80€


Carignan is one of those grape varieties that has been much decried, but is now enjoying something of a renaissance, and rightly so. Old Carignan vines are now treasured for the quality of their wine. They are also wonderful to look at, with their thick gnarled trunks, standing alone, without any supporting wires, with an awesome venerability about them. Domaine de Nizas, situated between Caux and Nizas, have a plot that was planted in 1948.
Their Vieux Carignan has some wonderful peppery cherry spice, with some leathery notes on the palate. There is an appealing elegant rusticity about this wine. And for those interested in the vinification process, it is mainly by carbonic maceration, a technique which extracts the best of the fruit from the Carignan, and then a small amount made with a traditional fermentation is added to the blend. And I think the resulting wine is delicious, and it goes extremely well with our village butcher’s sausages!
Domaine de Nizas, in the hamlet of Sallèles , off the road between Caux and Nizas
Tel: 04 67 90 17 92
Open weekdays 9h-17h,
www.domainedenizas.com

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PRESENTATION DES VINS DE BEZIERS MEDITERRANEE A LONDRES

La Communauté d’Agglomération Béziers Méditerranée a mené une action de promotion de ses vins les 8 et 9 octobre 2009 à Londres faisant suite au Salon professionnel Wine+ auquel elle avait participé en février dernier.

Une animation était organisée à Vinopolis - Wine Wharf d(quartier Bankside) avec un accord chocolat et vins des côtes de Thongue en partenariat avec la chocolatière Isabelle Alaya, The Melange shop. Le grand succès de cette soirée a permis à Béziers Méditerranée Oenopole de nouer de nombreux nouveaux contacts sur place.


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2008 LE CLOS, COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC from CLOS DU SERRES - 7.00€
Although this wine is a Coteaux du Languedoc, it comes from some of the most northern vineyards of the Hérault, from around the village of St. Jean de la Blaquière in the Terrasses du Larzac. This is one of the newer sub-zones of the Coteaux du Languedoc, and we are going to hear a lot more about it, as it is one of the most exciting wine areas of the region. There are a lot of new wine estates developing there, taking advantage of the characteristic freshness of the area, the cooling effect of the Larzac hills and a big drop in night time temperatures, after warm summer days. Sébastien Fillon and his wife Béatrice made their first wine in 2006. This particular wine is not labeled Terrasses du Larzac for the simple reason that the grape variety blend is not quite right, as it contains a high proportion of Cinsaut, along with Grenache Noir, Syrah and a drop of Carignan.
Sébastien Fillon says that he is looking for le gourmand in this cuvée, in other words, sheer drinkability. There is some appealing ripe fruit, what he called fruits noirs, such as black cherries, balanced with some tannin and acidity, and a lovely peppery freshness on the finish.
If you want to buy some, it’s probably best to ring first, 04 67 88 21 96, as their cellars are in a back street of St. Jean de la Blaquière, and not that easy to find.
www.leclosduserres.com


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2008 Cabrières, Rosé, Cuvée Prestige, Les Vignerons de Cabrières – 3,70€

The vineyards of the village of Cabrières, which are dominated by the imposing Pic de Vissou are mostly run by the members of the village cooperative. Quite simply this is one of the best cooperatives of the Hérault, successfully maintaining its independence at a time when so many others are closing or joining up with their neighbours. Cabrières has always had a reputation for its rosé, and the cooperative produces as much rosé as red wine. Of their three principal cuvées, I like their Cuvée Prestige best. It has a pretty pale orange pink colour and is fresh and elegant on nose and palate, with a delicious touch of minerality on the finish. For Cabrières, Cinsaut must account for as much as 45 per cent of the blend, with some Grenache and a little Syrah. The grapes are pressed and then macerated for about three hours, before pressing, so that the colour and flavour are very delicate.

There is a welcoming tasting caveau, which is open during office hours, from Monday to Saturday, so closed between 12 – 14h. It is also open, for slightly shorter hours on Sundays.

www.cabrieres.com


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MAS GABRIEL Blanc, Vin de Pays de l’Hérault – 9.00€

Deborah and Peter Core are amongst the many newcomers to the Languedoc. They are English, but learnt their wine making skills in New Zealand, and fate brought them to the Languedoc. Their first vintage was 2006, from just five hectares, of red grapes, and then in 2008 they acquired a small plot, just 20 ares, of 40 year old white Carignan grown on limestone outside the village of Caux. Carignan Noir is commonplace in the Languedoc, but Carignan Blanc threatened to disappear. Happily it is now enjoying something of a discreet revival. And if it makes wine like this, it deserves a much wider reputation. Its great asset in the warm climate of the Languedoc is good acidity, so that you will never find a flabby Carignan Blanc. This wine has some lovely herbal notes on both nose and palate, with a wonderfully textured mouth feel, making for a really satisfying glass of wine. The vinification is very simple; no oak and a gentle pressing in a small basket press. And it is a shining example of the spectacular improvement in white wine from the Languedoc.
To buy wine from the cellar door, it is best to ring first : 04 67 31 20 95 – mobile 06 27 31 21 47 – or email info@mas-gabriel.com
9 avenue de Mougères, Caux.

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2008 DOMAINE OLLIER-TAILLEFER rosé – 5.80€
Domaine Ollier-Taillefer, in the little village of Fos, was one of the first Faugères estates to put their wine in bottle, back in the 1970s, when most wine growers were content to sell their wine in bulk, or en vrac, to the local negoçiants. These days the estate is run by Luc Ollier who makes the wine, while his sister Françoise is front of house, with their parents still playing an important role behind the scenes. Cellar visits with Françoise are always great fun. She is always very welcoming and does a great visit and tasting, with lots of humour and perceptive comments on the current situation. I could choose virtually any of her wines for my coup de coeur, but the September sunshine leads me to the rosé. Some people see rosé as a compromise between red and white. In fact it is fiendishly difficult to make and the colour is all-important. It must look appealing, not too deep or too anaemic. There is a very fine balance, which Luc Ollier has achieved with his 2008. It is a pale orange pink, with hints of raspberry on the nose and rounded fruit and fresh acidity on the palate. Drink it as an aperitif, or with a meal, even something as powerful as a barbecue.
Their cellars and tasting caveau are in Fos and open most days. Ring first to avoid disappointment – 04 67 90 24 59



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2008 VERMENTINO, ADVOCATE, VIN DE PAYS D’OC, DOMAINE STE HILAIRE – 9.00€



White wines from the Languedoc have taken a quantum leap in quality over the past few years, partly from the improvement in wine-making techniques and partly with the introduction of grape varieties from other parts of the Mediterranean. Vermentino is one such variety. It is grown extensively on the Tuscan coast and on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, and you also find it in Provence, where they tend to call it Rolle. And it has been making steady inroads into the Languedoc. If you are looking for a dry white wine, that is fresh and pithy, with a sappy herbal note, Vermentino is the answer.
One of my favourites comes from Domaine Ste Hilaire, an estate outside Montagnac that is owned by an English couple, Anne and Jonathan James, who have come to wine as a second career. They produce two Vermentino, one oaked and one without oak. I have to admit to preferring the unoaked, but sadly they have already sold out of that, and we shall have to wait for the 2009 vintage, which is being picked as I write. The 2007 Advocate is a more serious proposition, with rounded fruit and some oak and backbone. The name recalls Jonathan James’ previous career at the bar and they are offering a 10 per cent discount is offered to anyone who mentions this review.
Domaine Ste Hilaire, Montagnac, well-sign posted off the road to Mèze
Cellar door open during usual office hours: Tel: 04 67 24 00 08
www.domainesaint-hilaire.com

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2007 PLAISIRS ROUGE,

COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC, PEZENAS, DOMAINE MONPLEZY – 6.40€
There are some wines which instantly conjure up the sunshine of the Midi in a glass and Plaisirs Rouge (there is also a white version) from Domaine Monplézy is one of them. It is the traditional blend of Grenache Noir, Carignan, Cinsaut and Syrah, aged in vat rather than barrel, so that the fruit of the grapes really leaps out of the glass, conveying the wonderful herbs and scents of the Languedoc garrigues, with juniper, thyme, rosemary and bay.
Domaine Monplézy is the family property of Anne Germa de Sutra and Christian Gil, situated outside Pézenas on the road to Roujan, with vineyards in both the Côtes de Thongue for vin de pays, and in the new cru of Pézenas in the appellation of Coteaux du Languedoc.
Their cellar door has flexible opening hours; it’s best to ring first : 04 67 98 27 81
www.domainemonplezy.fr

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www.languedoc-wine-tours.com

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DOMAINE ST. MARTIN DE LA GARRIGUE, PICPOUL DE PINET 2008 - 7.20€
Eat oysters in one of the restaurants at Bouzigues, looking out on the oyster beds and sip Picpoul de Pinet and all is right with the world. Picpoul de Pinet has benefited from the enormous improvement in white wine making in the region. Currently it is part of the appellation of the Coteaux du Languedoc, and the only white wine in the appellation, but it aspires to an appellation all of its own. Picpoul is the grape variety – you do occasionally come across Picpoul Noir – and it is grown around the village of Pinet and slightly further afield. One of my favourite Picpoul comes from Domaine St. Martin de la Garrigue, from vineyards to the south of Montagnac, off the road to Mèze. The owner is Umberto Guida, but the estate is run for him by Jean-Claude Zabalia, who is a talented and conscientious wine maker. The flavours of Picpoul de Pinet are dry and stony, with a touch of saltiness and good acidity, which complements an oyster, or indeed any other seafood.
Open during office hours – 8 -12 h 13.30 – 17.30 h Tel: 04 67 24 00 40


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2008 Le Champs des Lys, Vin de Pays des Cotes de Thongue, Domaine la Croix-Belle. – 5.90€

White wine from the Languedoc is improving with every vintage, with original blends and intriguing flavours. The label doesn’t actually say so for the French market, but this is a blend of Grenache Blanc, with some Viognier. There are peachy notes on the nose from the Viognier and the palate is rounded and fruity, with hints of white flowers and fresh acidity.

Domaine la Croix-Belle is one of the leading estates of the Côtes de Thongue, which in turn is one of the more distinctive vins de pays, with a core of producers working hard to establish a reputation for this small area, close to Pézenas, distinguishing it from the large and somewhat anonymous vin de pays d’Oc, which can cover the whole of the Midi. The tasting caveau on the edge of the village of Puissalicon is open seven days a week during the summer months; if Françoise Boyer is not there to welcome you, her Irish friend, Jane, is helping out.
Email francoise.boyer@croix-belle.com - website www.croix-belle.com

Keep uptodate with Rosemary on her blog spot www.tastelanguedoc.blogspot.com

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2007 Faugères, Les Mourels – Domaine des Trinités 8.50€

This is everything that Faugères should be. Take a sniff of the glass and you smell the garrigues of the Languedoc hills, with the scent of summer herbs, juniper, rosemary, bay and thyme.

Then taste the wine and it is wonderfully seductive, with ripe spicy fruit, a touch of pepper and a backbone of tannin to give it some structure.
Simon Coulshaw looked at 107 wine estates before settling on vineyards and a cellar in the Faugères village of Roquessels. Apparently he was so excited at finally finding what he was looking for that he completely forgot to look at the house….. His Catalan wife, Monica, has forgiven him. 2007 was his first vintage, after training at Plumpton in East Sussex; sadly he suffered badly in the devastating hailstorm of 2008, and hopes for better things in 2009. However, there is no doubt that his maiden vintage is a great success. As well as Faugères, he produces Coteaux du Languedoc, and two white wines, Viognier and Roussanne, and a refreshing rosé. This is definitely an estate to follow.
The cellar door is open for vente directe, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
Tel: 04 67 90 23 25
www.trinites.com


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COUP DE COEUR OF THE WEEK end of July

2008 Domaine de Bourdic, Rosé, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Thongue

By Rosemary George MW

No summer’s day in the Languedoc is complete without a glass of rosé. Sip it by the pool, in the shade of a fig tree, or with a salad lunch, and all is right with the world. There is an enormous choice of rosé available from the Hérault. One of my current favourites comes from Domaine de Bourdic, at Alignan du Vent, off the road between Pézenas and Roujan. Christa Vogel and Hans Hürlimann were musicians before they became wine growers, with their first vintage in 1995. The colour is very appealing, a pretty pale pink colour. This is important for the colour of a rosé must be inviting.

There is some rounded raspberry fruit on nose and palate, with fresh acidity and a firm finish, making ideal drinking, both for an aperitif, or with a meal. It just slips down a treat. And for a bit of technical information: the grape varieties are a blend of Syrah and Grenache, and it calls itself a rosé de saigné. That somewhat inelegant term translates badly into English. Literally it means that the vat of fermenting red grapes is ‘bled’ after a few hours; the juice is run off after it has acquired sufficient colour from the skins and then fermented like a white wine.
Available from the cellar door for 6.00€ Cellar open between 9 – 12 and 15 – 18 hours; check first on 04 67 24 98 08.
www.domainebordic.com

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The Conseil Interprofessionnel des vins du Languedoc AOC (CIVL) has just published its 2008 balance.
The economic environment remains difficult and this is reflected by a decline of 1.1% of the wines of the Languedoc on the market. Projects include a budget of 6 Million € - 80% for communication especially for rose (+4.2%): "
Languedoc recorded the best increase in sales of regional appellations and represents 22% of the volume of Languedoc. It was up 6% in volume and 9% in value. Nationally, 2008 was marked by a decline in export: 1.6 million hl. Languedoc-Roussillon is less affected than other regions and is experiencing great success in Switzerland, China and Japan

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WINE PROBLEMS FOR FRANCE

France has now dropped to fifth place in British drinkers' affections, overtaken by South Africa, as well as Australia, the United States and Italy.
British wine drinkers have been steadily put off by high prices – thanks to the weak exchange rate with the euro – complex labels and lack of big brands from France, according to experts, who said the march of New World wine was unstoppable.
The situation is so bad that British importers, including the supermarket chains Tesco and Morrisons, have clubbed together to implore the French government to improve the image of its wine.
The latest sales figures from Nielsen, which include trade from supermarkets and off-licences, suggest that 2.8 million cases of French bottles were sold in the three months to the middle of June. This was just behind South Africa for the first time on 2.9 million and well behind the market leader Australia on 4.7 million.
Despite the revolution in consumers drinking habits, which has seen wine and champagne become increasingly popular at the expense of beer, most chose their tipple on price alone.
Allan Cheesman, a wine consultant who used to head up Sainsbury's wine department, said: "There are 32 million people who drink wine in Britain, but 23 million drink less than three bottles a month. Most British consumers know that the cork goes in the thin end and that's it.
"The New World provide wines that are easy to drink, easy to sell, which trade on low price and big brands. The French have yet to master this formula."
One of the biggest problems for French wine, in British consumers' eyes, is that ancient laws make it very difficult for French producers to market their wine by the "varietal", the type of grape used. For young drinkers brought up on New World wine that are labelled clearly as Chardonnay or Pinot Noir it can be baffling to work out what goes into the French wines such as Chablis or Burgundy.
In a letter to the French agriculture & fisheries minister Michel Barnier, the British importers said: "We are united in the belief that France needs to change the way it promotes its wine in the UK if it is to ever regain – or even stabilise – its market share."
Tesco's Graham Nash highlighted the example of South Africa, where producers put national benefit ahead of personal gain.
"In France there are disputes within regions as well as between them," he told Off Licence News.
He said the regions of France must work together to promote national wines, with clear brands.
Experts fear, however, that French wine is just too expensive for many drinkers, who spend just £4.25 per bottle on average.
While 68 per cent of Australian wines are sold on promotion – either discounted or as part of a 3-for-£10 deal – just 40 per cent of French wines are on special offer.


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The five ages of Man - in bottles!



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Wine matters is supported by

"Languedoc Select Wine Club' www.languedoc-select.com


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